No matter what your goals are—strength, mass, conditioning, or cuts—kettlebell complexes deliver. This is why they are so frequently featured in training plans by our best program designers like Master SFGs Geoff Neupert and Dan John.
I built the following complex to give you “a-ha” moments in total body linkage and tension. And build some serious muscle mass in the process.
You will be doing four exercises with a pair of kettlebells back to back:
Clean + Press + Squat + Renegade Row
The first three drills are standard in the SFG I curriculum. Here is how to do the fourth.
Assume the top of the pushup position on top of a pair of large kettlebells, at least 70-pounders (Get rid of the plastic or rubber bases, if you kettlebells have them). Tense your whole body. Press down hard into the kettlebell with your left. At the same time row with your right. Strict and slow. Do not allow your body to sag, twist, or pike. You have only one rep per set to do; do it right!
If you are unable to row a 32kg bell, work one arm at a time. Rest one arm on a heavy bell or some stationary object and row the lighter one. Yes, this will slow down the complex, but it is a small price to pay for not making a face plant or breaking your wrist after losing balance on a small base of support.
Here is the plan. On Monday grab a pair of kettlebells you can strictly press 6-8 times after one clean, and pyramid the press while keeping the reps in the rest of the drills at one. Starting with a single, add a rep to your press every set until you can no longer go up without compromizing form. Then work back down to one. Your sets might look like this:
1 clean + 1 press + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 2 presses + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 3 presses + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 4 presses + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 5 presses + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 4 presses + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 3 presses + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 2 presses + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
This is just an example; you might go up as high as six or hit the wall at four.
Why does the Total Tension kettlebell complex employ a pyramid instead of the vaunted ladder?—For a change of pace and because we are trying to induce a lot of fatigue to stimulate hypertrophy.
The rest periods between sets are up to you. Short, long, or anything in between—you will get stronger no matter what, although for different reasons.
Pop out 100 snappy swings in sets of 10-20, and you are done for the day. Go home and eat like a man and sleep like a boy.
On Wednesday repeat the procedure—this time pyramiding the front squat. You might end up doing:
1 clean + 1 press + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 2 squats + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 3 squats + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 4 squats + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 5 squats + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 6 squats + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 5 squats + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 4 squats + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 3 squats + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 2 squats + 1 renegade row per arm
1 clean + 1 press + 1 squat + 1 renegade row per arm
Again, this is just an example. Climb as high as you can without contortions.
Wrap up with a 5min snatch test.
Train Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, alternating press and squat pyramids:
Monday—press pyramid
Wednesday—squat pyramid
Friday—press pyramid
Monday—squat pyramid
Wednesday—press pyramid
Friday—squat pyramid
The Total Tension ketlebell complex is a so-called “step cycle”. You will be staying with the same reps for three workouts to “solidify” your gains. In the above example of the girevik making it to five reps in the first press workout, he will stay at five for two more workouts, or two weeks total:
Monday—5
Friday—5
Wednesday of next week—5
Then in press workout number four push as high as you can—probably to 6 or 7 reps. And stabilize for three workouts/two weeks once again:
Monday—7
Friday—7
Wednesday of next week—7
Then comes the third and final phase. You might end up doing:
Monday—8
Friday—8
Wednesday of next week—8
This is it. Six weeks from now there be noticeably more meat on your bones and you will possess a much deeper understanding of linkage and tension. Unload with a week of fun, easy training, and you are ready for a pure strength program such as (1, 2, 3) ladders and new PRs.
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